Spider package

ABSTRACT

A clamshell package is provided including an enclosure configured to hold a product. The enclosure includes a recess configured to receive an alarm component of an alarm spider wrap.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to packaging and, more particularly, to aclamshell blister package.

2. Description of Related Art

A clamshell blister package is a formed plastic package used toencapsulate a product. The clamshell package may consist of onepre-formed plastic sheet folded over onto itself or two pre-formedplastic sheets that are fused at the edges. Clamshell packages are moresecure than blister packages with paperboard and are difficult to openby hand. As such, clamshell packaging deters tampering and pilfering.For additional security, retail stores may attach an alarm spider wrapto the clamshell package. An alarm spider wrap includes an alarmcomponent with expandable cables. The alarm component is attached to aclamshell package by wrapping the cables around the clamshell packageand securing the cables with a locking clip. If a thief cuts the cablesor walks out of the store with the alarm spider wrap still attached tothe clamshell package, the alarm component sounds an alarm.

Unfortunately, thieves have been able to subvert the protection alarmspider wraps provide by slipping or prying off the cables from theclamshell packaging. In response, retail stores have been wrapping thecables more tightly around the clamshell packages. Wrapping the cablesmore tightly around the packages may crush or damage the packing and maynot entirely prevent thieves from slipping or prying the cables from theclamshell packaging.

An additional issue with prior art clamshell packaging is that they arenot designed to be integral with the alarm spider swap and do notcontrol the location of the alarm component. The alarm component mayinterfere with the presentation of the product by obscuring view of theproduct or by preventing the clamshell package from being able to situpright or rest flat.

Accordingly, there is a need for a clamshell package that provides alocation for the alarm component of the alarm spider wrap for purposesof proper presentation and that allows the alarm spider wrap to beaffixed more securely to the clamshell package.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the disclosure, a clamshell package includes anenclosure configured to hold a product. The enclosure includes a recessconfigured to receive an alarm component of an alarm spider wrap.

In another aspect of the disclosure, clamshell packaging includes abottom shell and a top shell. The bottom shell has a first bottom shellchannel and a second bottom shell channel. The top shell has a first topshell channel and a second top shell channel. The top shell provides anenclosure with the bottom shell when the top shell is attached to thebottom shell. The first bottom shell channel aligns with the first topshell channel to form a first channel along an outer surface of theenclosure when the top shell is attached to the bottom shell. The secondbottom shell channel aligns with the second top shell channel to form asecond channel along the outer surface of the enclosure when the topshell is attached to the bottom shell. The first channel and the secondchannel are on opposite sides of the enclosure.

In a further aspect of the disclosure, a clamshell package with anexterior surface configured to attach an alarm spider wrap having cablesand an alarm component includes means for recessing the alarm componentwithin the exterior surface and means for preventing the cables frombeing slipped off of the clamshell package.

It is understood that other aspects of a clamshell package will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, wherein it is shown and described only exemplaryconfigurations of a clamshell package. As will be realized, theinvention includes other and different aspects of a clamshell packageand the various details presented throughout this disclosure are capableof modification in various other respects, all without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and thedetailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature andnot as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a clamshell package.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another example of a clamshell package.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 14 is a front view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 17 is a rear view of the clamshell package of FIG. 1 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 18 is a top view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 19 is a front view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 21 is a bottom view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

FIG. 22 is a rear view of the clamshell package of FIG. 7 with anattached alarm spider wrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which various aspects of a clamshellpackage are shown. This invention, however, may be embodied in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as limited by the variousaspects of the clamshell package presented herein. The detaileddescription of the clamshell package is provided below so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

The detailed description may include specific details for illustratingvarious aspects of a clamshell package. However, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced withoutthese specific details. In some instances, well known elements may beshown in block diagram form, or omitted, to avoid obscuring theinventive concepts presented throughout this disclosure.

Relative terms such as “lower” or “bottom” and “upper” or “top” may beused herein to describe one element's relationship to another elementillustrated in the drawings. It will be understood that relative termsare intended to encompass different orientations of a clamshell packagein addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. By way ofexample, if a clamshell package in the drawings is turned over, elementsdescribed as being on the “bottom” side of the other elements would thenbe oriented on the “top” side of the other elements. The term “bottom”can therefore encompass both an orientation of “bottom” and “top”depending on the particular orientation of the apparatus.

Various aspects of a clamshell package may be illustrated with referenceto one or more exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the term“exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,”and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageousover other embodiments of a clamshell package disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clamshell package 10. The clamshellpackage 10 includes a first shell 11 and a second shell 12. The firstand second shells 11, 12 are formed plastic shells. The first and secondplastic shells 11, 12 fit together into a clamshell such that edges 11′of the first plastic shell 11 may be fused to edges 12′ of the secondplastic shell 12 to form an enclosure for holding a product. A top sideof the clamshell package 10 is formed with a channel 13 and a bottomside of the clamshell package 10, opposite the top side, is formed witha channel 14, which is separated from channel 13. The channel 13 and thechannel 14 may be in circumferential alignment such that the channelsextend in a direction corresponding to a direction of cables wrappedaround a circumference of the clamshell package 10. The channels 13, 14prevent cables that are wrapped longitudinally around the first andsecond plastic shells 11, 12 through the channels 13, 14 from beingslipped off the clamshell package 10.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the clamshell package 10. As shown in FIG. 2,the first plastic shell 11 is formed with an upper channel 15 on a topside and a lower channel 16 on a bottom side. The upper channel 15 andthe lower channel 16 are rectangular recesses. FIG. 3 is a rear view ofthe clamshell package 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the second plastic shell12 is formed with an upper channel 17 on a top side and a lower channel18 on a bottom side. The upper channel 17 is a rectangular recess. Thechannels 15, 17 have substantially the same shape and align together toprovide the channel 13 when the plastic shells 11, 12 are fusedtogether. Channels 15, 17 have a width and a depth to allow a lockingclip to rest securely along a joint bottom surface of the channels. Thechannels 15, 17 may have a width of about two inches and a height ofabout one inch. The channel 16 has approximately the same shape aschannel 15. The channel 18 includes two sections, a first channelsection 19 with a shape substantially conforming to a shape of thechannel 16 and a second channel section 20 for an alarm component of analarm spider wrap. The first channel section 19 is a rectangular recess.The first channel section 19 aligns with the lower channel 16 to providepart of channel 14 when the plastic shells 11, 12 are fused together.The remaining part of channel 14 is the second channel section 20. Thesecond channel section 20 is a circular recess and is recessed withinthe second plastic shell 12 to allow an alarm component to recesscompletely within the second plastic shell 12 without protruding from abottom of the clamshell packaging 10.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the clamshell package 10. FIG. 5 is a top viewof the clamshell package 10. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the clamshellpackage 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the alarm component recess 20 is in theform of a semicircle. However, the alarm component recess 20 may havedifferent shapes according to the shape of the alarm component. Thechannels 16, 19 may have a width of about two inches and a height ofabout one inch and the alarm component recess 20 has a diameter of abouttwo inches.

FIGS. 7-12 are views of a clamshell package 30. The clamshell package 30includes a plastic flange 21 within channel 13. The plastic flange 21extends from channel 13 and may extend between channels 15 and 17 whereedges of the first and second plastic shells 11, 12 are fused. Theplastic flange 21 stretches widthwise across the channel 13,perpendicular to a direction in which channel 13 extends, along the topof the clamshell package 30 and is attached to or formed integrally withedges of the channel 13. The plastic flange 21 has a hole 22 (i.e.,batwing) for allowing the clamshell package 30 to be hung from a hanger.The hole 22 may have various shapes to accommodate single or doublehangers. The hole 22 may be formed with sufficient width and height suchthat a locking clip may be inserted through the hole for securing thecables of an alarm spider wrap.

FIGS. 13-17 are views of the clamshell package 10 with an attached alarmspider wrap showing the alarm component 42, the cables 41, and thelocking clip 40. FIGS. 18-22 are views of the clamshell package 30 withan attached alarm spider wrap showing the alarm component 42, the cables41, and the locking clip 40. As discussed supra, the clamshell packageincludes a means for recessing an alarm component 42 within an exteriorsurface of the clamshell package. The means for recessing the alarmcomponent 42 is the alarm component recess 20 within the channel 14 ofthe clamshell package 10 or within the channel 18 of the second plasticshell 12 (see FIG. 3). The clamshell package further includes a meansfor preventing the cables 41 from being slipped off of the clamshellpackage. The means for preventing the cables 41 from being slipped offof the clamshell package 10 includes the first channel 13 and the secondchannel 14, which together may be in circumferential alignment (see FIG.1). The first and second channels 13, 14 provide a cable region with asmaller circumference than regions immediately adjacent the cableregion.

The various aspects of this disclosure are provided to enable one ofordinary skill in the art to practice the present invention.Modifications to various aspects of a clamshell package presentedthroughout this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and the concepts disclosed herein may be extended to otherapplications. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to thevarious aspects of a clamshell package presented throughout thisdisclosure, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with thelanguage of the claims. All structural and functional equivalents to theelements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosurethat are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill inthe art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intendedto be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein isintended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether suchdisclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is tobe construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph,unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or,in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase“step for.”

1. A clamshell package comprising: an enclosure configured to hold aproduct, wherein the enclosure includes a recess configured to receivean alarm component of an alarm spider wrap.
 2. The clamshell package ofclaim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a plastic shell fused atexterior edges of the plastic shell.
 3. The clamshell package of claim1, wherein the enclosure comprises a bottom shell and a top shell fusedto the bottom shell.
 4. The clamshell package of claim 1, wherein theenclosure includes a first channel and a second channel along an outersurface of the enclosure, the first channel being configured to allow alocking clip of the alarm spider wrap to rest within the first channel,the second channel comprising the recess.
 5. The clamshell package ofclaim 4, wherein the first channel and the second channel each extend ina direction to allow cables of the alarm spider wrap to wrap once arounda circumference of the enclosure through the first channel and thesecond channel.
 6. The clamshell package of claim 5, wherein the firstchannel and the second channel are in circumferential alignment.
 7. Theclamshell package of claim 4, wherein the first channel and the secondchannel are separated.
 8. The clamshell package of claim 4, wherein thefirst channel and the second channel are on opposite sides of theenclosure.
 9. The clamshell package of claim 4, further comprising aflange extending across the first channel, the flange having a hangerhole configured to allow the locking clip of the alarm spider wrap toinsert within the hanger hole.
 10. The clamshell package of claim 4,wherein the second channel comprises a rectangular recess portion andsaid recess, said recess being a circular recess, and wherein the firstchannel comprises a rectangular recess.
 11. Clamshell packagingcomprising: a bottom shell having a first bottom shell channel and asecond bottom shell channel; and a top shell having a first top shellchannel and a second top shell channel, the top shell for providing anenclosure with the bottom shell when the top shell is attached to thebottom shell, wherein the first bottom shell channel aligns with thefirst top shell channel to form a first channel along an outer surfaceof the enclosure when the top shell is attached to the bottom shell,wherein the second bottom shell channel aligns with the second top shellchannel to form a second channel along the outer surface of theenclosure when the top shell is attached to the bottom shell, whereinthe first channel and the second channel are on opposite sides of theenclosure.
 12. The clamshell packaging of claim 11, wherein the firstchannel is in circumferential alignment with the second channel when thetop shell is attached to the bottom shell.
 13. The clamshell packagingof claim 11, wherein the bottom shell and the top shell have an outeredge contour such that edges of the top shell can be fused to edges ofthe bottom shell to provide the enclosure.
 14. The clamshell packagingof claim 11, wherein the first channel has a width that allows a lockingclip of an alarm spider wrap to rest within the first channel.
 15. Theclamshell packaging of claim 11, further comprising a flange extendingacross the first channel, the flange having a hanger hole.
 16. Theclamshell packaging of claim 11, wherein the first top shell channelcomprises a rectangular recess, the first bottom shell channel comprisesa rectangular recess, and the second top shell channel comprises arectangular recess, and wherein the second bottom shell channelcomprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion beinga rectangular recess and the second portion being a circular recess. 17.A clamshell package with an exterior surface configured to attach analarm spider wrap having cables and an alarm component, the clamshellpackage comprising: means for recessing the alarm component within theexterior surface; and means for preventing the cables from being slippedoff of the clamshell package.
 18. The clamshell package of claim 17,wherein the means for preventing the cables from being slipped off ofthe clamshell package comprises a first channel and a second channel onopposite sides of the clamshell package.
 19. The clamshell package ofclaim 18, wherein the first channel and the second channel are incircumferential alignment.
 20. The clamshell package of claim 17,wherein the means for recessing the alarm component comprises a recesswithin the second channel, the recess being larger than the alarmcomponent.